2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season (Nkech)
Overview The 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season is the annual event in which Tropical Cyclones Formed in the Atlantic Ocean. Seasonal forecasts were well off, as the development of a El Nino was expected to inhibit activity, with experts projecting around 10 storms in a slightly below average season. However, the El Nino never developed, and the season remained a warm neutral season, and was slightly above average, with 13 named storms, 8 Hurricanes, and 3 Major Hurricanes. The Season began with the formation of Hurricane Alberto '''several days after the beginning of the season, a Category 1 Hurricane which made landfall in Central Mexico. '''Tropical Storm Beryl '''formed to kick off July, a 60 mph Tropical Storm that never made landfall but brushed the East Coast with scattered rain and high tide. One week later saw the formation of '''Tropical Storm Chris, a weak Tropical Storm that made landfall near Veracruz in the Bay of Campeche. Hurricane Debby '''ended the month of July, making landfall in North Carolina as a Category 2 and becoming the second Hurricane to make landfall in North Carolina in 12 months, the other being '''Hurricane Nate '''in late October 2017. August saw the first major of the season, '''Hurricane Ernesto, stay east of Bermuda as a Category 3 Hurricane, kept away from coast by the simultaneously active Tropical Storm Florence, a 70 mph Tropical Storm that went on to Impact Nova Scotia. Just after Florence's formation, Hurricane Gordon formed, becoming the strongest Hurricane of the season and the 3rd Atlantic Category 5 Hurricane in 3 years, striking Louisiana as a 160 mph Category 5 and causing the most destructive damage in the state since Hurricane Katrina '''in 2005. While Gordon was out causing tragedy in the Western Atlantic, '''Hurricane Helene '''quietly moved through the Eastern Atlantic, striking the Azores as a weak Category 1 before becoming an Extratropical Cyclone. Meanwhile, '''Tropical Depression Nine '''formed and made landfall in the Bay of Campeche, gaining minimal attention. '''Hurricane Isaac closed out the month of August as a weak category 2 hurricane that did not cause any damages or fatalities. September was wildly inactive, only featuring one storm, Subtropical Storm Joyce, a unusual 75 mph Subtropical Storm that passed just north of the Azores. October kicked off with the third and final major of the season, Hurricane Kirk, which hit Nicaragua as a weak Category 4 Hurricane before leaving the Atlantic basin and making landfall in Baja California as a Category 3. Tropical Storm Leslie '''formed to close out October, a weak Tropical Storm within the Main Development region. The final storm of the year, '''Hurricane Michael, formed in Mid-November as a Nicaragua landfalling Category 1, just two weeks after '''Hurricane Kirk '''devastated the country. Timeline Storms Hurricane Alberto On June 1st, a invest was identified in the Caribbean Sea southwest of the coast of Cuba. This invest moved unusually west and become Tropical Storm Alberto on June 4th, skipping Tropical Depression Status. Alberto worked northwesterly. making landfall near the border between Belize and Mexico the next day as a 50 mph Tropical Storm, causing minimal damage. Alberto re-emerged into the Bay of Campeche on June 6th as a tropical depression. Under low shear and favorable conditions, it became Tropical Storm Alberto again and quickly strengthened to Hurricane Alberto late on June 7th. Alberto made landfall on June 8th, causing 15 Million Dollars (2018 USD) in damage and 16 Fatalities. Alberto degenerated into a remnant low the next day. Tropical Storm Beryl On June 29, the NHC noted a invest several Hundred Miles north of Puerto Rico for potential development. Under somewhat favorable conditions, the system worked west and developed into Tropical Depression Two on July 2nd as it moved westerly towards the Southern Bahamas. The system attained 40 mph winds late on July 3rd, when it officially became named Tropical Storm Beryl. Beryl narrowly missed landfall as it skirted the outer Bahamas for the next several days, causing high tide, flooding, and 2 deaths but overall minimal damage. Beryl turned Northeasterly away from the US East Coast on July 7th, and meandered northeast before transitioning to an extratropical cyclone at peak intensity. Tropical Storm Chris On July 11th, the NHC began monitoring a invest located over the Southern Yucatan Peninsula near the Tripoint of Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. The invest promptly turned Northwest into the Bay of Campeche, where the conditions were overall favorable for development. The system gained a closed Circulation on July 13th and became Tropical Depression Three early on July 14th. Remaining under somewhat favorable conditions, it became Tropical Storm Chris late on July 14th with 40 mph winds. Chris made landfall quickly after, causing minimal damage and no fatalities. Chris degenerated into a remnant low later that day over Central Mexico. Hurricane Debbie On July 24, the NHC started monitoring a invest located northeast of the Leeward Islands. The system was under marginally favorable conditions, and eventually became Tropical Depression Four on July 29th. Four proceeded to quickly intensify, becoming Tropical Storm Debbie on July 30th. Debbie underwent a strong intensification to a Category 2 later in the day, to a peak strength of 100 mph and a pressure of 977 millibars, making it the strongest storm of the season to date. Debbie entered much cooler Sea Surface Temperatures on August 1st, causing it to fall to a Category 1 Hurricane. Debbie made landfall as a 80 mph Category 1 Hurricane near Jacksonville, North Carolina, causing nearly $600 Million (2018 USD) in damage and 42 Fatalities. Debbie degenerated into a remnant low on August 2nd near Richmond, Virginia, however regenerated a subtropical storm briefly on August 4th before finally being declared a extratropical cyclone. Hurricane Ernesto On July 29th, the NHC began to monitor an invest leaving the coast of Africa. The invest was entering unfavorable conditions, but conditions improved gradually over time, leading to the development of Tropical Depression Five on August 4th. Five turned northerly into the Eastern Atlantic, strengthening into Tropical Storm Ernesto two days later. Ernesto encountered some shear on August 8th, but quickly turned Westerly and avoided weakening to a tropical depression. Ernesto then entered a surprisingly favorable environment for the time of year, undergoing a slow but steady intensification starting on August 11th when Ernesto became the Season's Third Hurricane. Ernesto moved west, and turned back northwest towards the Canadian coasts of Nova Scotia, however, Ernesto surprisingly turned Northeasterly after interaction with the newly formed Tropical Storm Florence. To the northeast, shear increased, gradually ripping Ernesto apart before becoming Extratropical on August 17th. Ernesto did not cause any deaths or impact land. Tropical Storm Florence On August 1, The NHC began monitoring an invest located near Augusta, Georgia for potential entry into the Atlantic Ocean. The system finally entered open waters on August 6th, where it quickly became Tropical Storm Florence. Florence moved Northeasterly to a position just west of Bermuda, shoving Hurricane Ernesto off to the Northeast. Florence turned northerly and struck Nova Scotia at peak intensity on August 13th, causing $5 Million in damage and no fatalities. Florence then proceeded to become extratropical after entering the Northern Bay of Fundy late on August 13th. Florence fully dissipated nearly a day later over Eastern Quebec. Hurricane Gordon On August 4, the NHC began monitoring an invest over Senegal in Africa. The invest moved out to sea two days later and continued to move west. On August 11th, the invest saw a rapid increase in convection and became Tropical Depression Seven. Seven lived for several days under high shear, but briefly attained 40 mph status as Tropical Storm Gordon on August 13th, before rapidly weakening into a remnant low early the next day. Late on August 19th while located in the much more favorable Western Main Development Region, regenerated into Tropical Storm Gordon while located nearly 1,000 miles Northeast of Barbados. This time, however, Gordon was allocated in much more favorable conditions, and strengthened as it moved West-Northwesterly towards Saint Maarten. Gordon moved over the island several days later. Under still favorable conditions, Gordon became Hurricane Gordon early on August 22nd while south of Puerto Rico. Gordon eventually took a turn northwest, making landfall in Western Haiti late on August 23rd as a strong Category 1 hurricane. Gordon made another landfall the next day as a 100 mph Category 2 near Guantanamo Bay. From August 24th to August 26th, land interaction with Cuba caused Gordon to steadily weaken, losing Hurricane status on August 26th. Gordon made landfall in Cuba a record 4 times during these two days. Gordon finally left Cuba late on the 26th of August, entering the gulf of Mexico. Gordon rapidly strengthened over the next two days, gaining back Category 1 status late on August 27th. Nearly 24 hours later, on August 28th, Gordon began a quick period of Rapid Intensification, becoming a 140 mph Category 4. Gordon continued to strengthen, though less, on the 29th, attaining it's peak as a 160 mph Category 5 with a pressure of 922 millibars. Gordon made landfall near 11 PM on August 29th in Louisiana, becoming the state's worst natural disaster since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Gordon rapidly weakened while inland, degenerating into an extratropical cyclone on August 31st while roughly halfway between Jackson, Mississippi, and Birmingham, Alabama. Gordon went on to impact the Ohio valley as a Category 1 Extratropical Cyclone several days later, causing massive damage and becoming the area's worst ever impact from a former tropical cyclone or remnant low. In the end, damages from Saint Maarten, Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, The Yucatan and the United States totalled to about $15 Billion (2018 USD). Hurricane Gordon also caused 666 Fatalities. Hurricane Helene Category:Hypothetical Events